Rail line travellers increase
THE TAMAR Valley Train line is one of the fastest growing branch lines in Britain.
New figures published by the Association of Train operating Companies (ATOC) state that the Plymouth to Gunnislake and the Liskeard to Looe, Looe Valley lines have seen increases of more than 20 per cent.
Passengers made 169,388 journeys on the Tamar Valley Line between April 2010 and March 2011, an increase of 21.8 per cent over the same period in 2007 and 2008. This gave the line ninth place in the branch line league table.
On the Looe Valley Line, 95,446 journeys were made between April 2010 and March 2011, an increase of 23.8 per cent over 2007 and 2008, ranking the line eighth in the table.
Richard Burningham, Manager of the Plymouth University-based Devon and Cornwall Rail Partnership, said: "I am delighted that both the Tamar Valley Line and the Looe Valley Line are among Britain's top ten fastest growing branch lines.
"More and more local people and visitors are taking to the trains and long may this continue. We certainly intend to do all we can to make sure it does."
The Partnership set up and runs the Tamar Valley Line Carnet scheme where books of discounted single tickets to and from Plymouth can be bought from seven shops and post offices in the Tamar Valley. These now account for a fifth of all journeys made.
3 Comments
by blackbeard9
Saturday, August 27 2011, 9:47PM
“Just imagine, if Beeching had not swung his axe on as much railway as he did we would still have branch railway lines and we would not have become so dependent on our own transport. We would still be used to using branch lines and there would not be as much traffic on the road.
So the problem of major traffic problems we have now was the government of the time of Dr Beeching doing, but we, the motoring public get the blame”
by puzzled1
Saturday, August 27 2011, 4:23PM
“The Tavistock extension isn't going to happen. It only helps if you live on the west of Tavistock and work or shop near Plymouth's grotty station - and don't mind a two hour gap between trains.”
by mediclad
Saturday, August 27 2011, 1:35PM
“When is the line going to be extended to Tavistock in connection with the new housing development in the town?
Then Im sure passenger numbers would more than double with people trying to avoid the A386.”